Improvement in processes for softening dry hides



NII'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BARRON, OF OINOINNI'ITI, OHIO.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 127,947, dated June 18,1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, JOHN BARRON, of the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, and State ofOhio, have discovered an Improved Process of Softening Dry Hides, 85c.

Nature and Objects of my Invention.

The following described process applies to hides, skins, and peltries.

It is known to tanners that serious inconvenience exists in all theprocesses heretofore known or used for the purpose of softening dryhides, &c. The process of softening hides most commonly in use consistsin immersing them in a bath of water, together with various subsidiaryaids, such as scraping,beating, &c., all well known to tanners.

The most serious inconveniences experienced in this mode is thewell-known liability of the hides, &c., to putrifybefore they aresufficiently softened to be ready for the lime process. In my processthis inconvenience is remedied by the use of antiseptics. Anotherserious objection to the use of this process is that in cold weather theamount of time required for the softening process is so great as to be aserious loss to tanners. This is remedied in my process by the use of analkaline solution for removing the dry fatty matters adhering to thehides, and thereby permitting free access of the softening agents to thehides, &c. In the use of this, too, it was necessary that the hides,&c., should be worked or scraped by manual labor. In my process this isentirely dispensed with.

Another advantage of my process, as compared with the above, is thatthere was very great risk in utterly destroying hides, 850., if attemptwas made to soften them during very warm weather; and tanners alwaysassumed, from their experience of it, that with the greatest care acertain proportion'of the hides, &c., would be rendered useless, while,upon the other hand, with my process hides may be softened with impunityin any weather, and, if they be intelligently handled, without danger ofinjuring a single hide or part of a hide that was sound when the processcommenced.

The only process other than the above known to me to have beenheretofore used was the addition of a strong alkaline solution, but thiswas never in general use, because it injured the fiber of the hide,which defect is entirely obviated in mine by using a weaker alkalinesolution in combination with antiseptics.

Description of Process.

The agents that I have discovered to'be the most eifectual inaccomplishing the above results are: Waste gas-waterthe refuse liquid ofgas-works in the refining process+either alone or slightly diluted withwater; gasoline, diluted with water in about the proportion of one partgasoline to twenty parts water, (exactly the best proportion cannot bedefinitely stated, inasmuch as the proportion will vary according tocircumstances, such as the character of the hides and the state of theweather, 8:0. The above proportions will generally answer, but may withsafety be somewhat varied by making it slightly less diluted in winterand more diluted in summer and coal-tar ordead oil. This substance,however, will not answer.

when taken alone, nor is it sufficiently soluble in water to be madeavailable with water only. To be used effectively it must, by the aid ofan alkali, be dissolved in water. Caustic soda will answer as the alkalifor the above purpose and the following proportions will give beneficialresults, but may be varied, as abow e described, with reference togasoline-to wit:

five gallons coal-tar oil, three pounds caustic soda, and one hundredgallons of water.

Each of the above mixtures contains substantially similar activeagents-to wit, water, alkaline matter, and antiseptics. The alkalies ofthe above are mainly ammoniacal salts in solution. The antisepticsconsist principally of carholate and cresylate of soda.

The action of the above is as follows: The water is the principalsoftening agent; the alkalies remove the fatty parts of the hide,removing shell, and have a peculiar softening ef fect upon the hide,and, when taken in con nection with the action of the antiseptics, haveno injurious effect upon their tissue. The antiseptics preserve thehides, &c., from putrefaction while undergoing the above process, and bybeing to some extent incorporated into the tissue of the hides preservethem from putrefaction for a greater length of time after they have beensoftened--in case it does not go immediately into the 1iinc-than anyprocess heretofore known.

\Vhen the liquor has been mixed in the vat, as above substantiallydescribed, the hides are immersed therein, and are to receivesubstantially the same treatment, as regards stirring, mixing, &c., thatthey would receive under the old processes, and to remain therein untilthey are sufficiently softened. The time required for softening willvary in the same manner, though not to so great an extent as in the oldprocesses, and will, the year round, require on an average not more thanone-half of the time required by the process above described and no ingeneral use.

In addition to the advantages heretofore stated, arising by virtue ofthe use of my process, it may be stated that hides softened as aboverequire less time for the subsequent stages of tanning, and it isbelieved make bet- Claim.

I claim- As an improvement in the art, the use of the above-describedmaterials or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

itnesses: JOHN BARRON.

JAMES MOORE, S. S. MoRRrs.

